Fire Resistant Homes: Testing Vulcan, Silica, and Baffled Intumescent Vents

Recent Wildfires Case Study

Paradise Fire

Town had been told in 2005 that they were in danger of the exact kind of fire that took place but they had trusted that in 50 years, no fire had crossed the river on the east. They failed to recognize that homes damaged in wildfires are damaged by embers and the fire doesn’t need to cross the river when it can blow over it.

They had early warning systems and thought they were prepared but when fire came, they were literally trapped with all roads blocked.

86 dead, 14,000 homes DESTROYED.

Laguna Niguel Coastal Fire

While the Paradise Fire was an extreme example, up to 90% of homes damaged in wildfires are damaged because they are susceptible to small embers.

In this small-sized wildfire in a very high-end neighborhood in Laguna Niguel, almost all of the fires burned from the top down because the homes had not been fitted with ember-resistant venting.

Over 20 homes were lost, many of which were multi-million dollar properties.

Woolsey Fire

488 Homes burned down in Malibu all at once, causing massive delays in plans, permits and finding construction workers to work on these exclusive properties.

3 Years later, only 63 out of 488 homes have been rebuilt.

The other 425 homeowners are living out of hotels or temporary residences and can’t even replace their belongings with nowhere to put them.

1600 Structures burned totaling over $6 Billion in this very expensive disaster.

The goal is not to be prepared for the flames.
It is to be prepared for the EMBERS.

Up to 90% of homes are damaged by small pieces of burnt debris blown by heavy winds typical to a wildfire. Most people think of the burning fire as the threat that will come and destroy their homes. How can we fight a 50-foot-high wall of fire? YOU CAN’T.